The present invention relates to an image reading and reproducing apparatus for photoelectrically reading the image recorded on a film as image data, subjecting the read image data to specified image processing steps, preparing an output composite image data by combining the processed image data and line image data and recording a composite image on a light-sensitive material by scan exposure at one step using the output composite image data. The present invention also relates to an image reading and reproducing method which is applied to the above apparatus.
Most of the images recorded or carried on photographic films such as negatives and reversals (which are hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cfilmsxe2x80x9d) are conventionally printed onto light-sensitive materials such as photographic papers by so-called xe2x80x9cdirect exposurexe2x80x9d (analog exposure) in which the image on a film is projected onto the light-sensitive material for areal exposure.
At the time, since the periphery of a cut sheet prepared by cutting a light-sensitive material to a specified size is held by a mask attached to the cut sheet because of the technical necessity that the cut sheet must be properly held with respect to projected light, there inevitably exists a non-exposed white edge region around an image in a finished print.
Then, a photographed date, CI (Corporate Identity) mark and the like have been printed in the white edge region by multiple exposure using a lithographic film or the like.
To print characters, marks and the like in the white edge region, exposure must be performed using the lithographic film by shading the image print region of a light-sensitive material with a dedicated mask in addition to the exposure of an image from a film and this exposure must rely on very troublesome multiple exposure.
Thereafter, there are employed as a result of technical innovation such methods that a cut sheet is held on an exposure guide by being sucked by vacuum, and that when a roll-shaped light-sensitive material is exposed in a state of an elongated web without being cut, it is held on the exposure guide by tension, whereby the mask is made unnecessary and photographs without white edge go mainstream at present.
Recently, there have become commercially practical digital photoprinters making use of digital exposure in which image information recorded on a film is photoelectrically read, converted to digital image data and subjected to various digital image processing steps, thereby recording an image using the processed digital image data. In the digital photoprinters, the image data of characters is created by image data processing and assembled to the image data of the image recorded on a film to thereby create a composite image (composite image data) in which the image recorded on the film is combined with the characters and exposure can be performed using the composite image data. Therefore, expressions which are more freely created than a typical expression such as a photographed date and the like made by the conventional lithographic film or the like can be recorded in the image on the surface of a photograph.
Further, in the Advanced Photo System (APS) released recently, various kinds of information can be recorded in the magnetic recording medium formed on a film. Since the magnetic information includes the title of an image and the like, not only the photographed date and the like which are conventionally recorded, but also the title and the like can be recorded in the image on the surface of a print by reading the magnetic information when the print is made at a laboratory.
However, in the method of recording characters in the white edge of a print using the conventional lithographic film, the multiple exposure must be performed for printing a line image such as characters and the like using the lithographic film dedicated for the line image in addition to the print of an image recorded on a film. Then, the dedicated mask is necessary for the above multiple exposure and the lithographic film must be prepared for each image. In particular, since a block copy must be made for each image and exposed and developed to prepare the lithographic film, there is a problem that the correction of the block copy is troublesome and time-consuming.
Characters can be somewhat freely printed on the surface of a photograph by means of the digital photoprinter or the APS. When characters are inserted in the image of a print, however, there is such a problem in quality that it is difficult to find the characters depending upon a background image or the characters obstruct the image on the contrary. Thus, some users do not prefer inserting characters in an image.
An object of the present invention made in view of the above conventional problems is to provide an image reading and reproducing apparatus capable of simply inserting characters and pictures on the surface of a print in accordance with the designation by a user so that they do not obstruct an image. Another object of the present invention is to provide an image reading and reproducing method which is applied to the above apparatus.
To solve the above problems, a first aspect of the present invention provides an image reading and reproducing apparatus comprising:
image reading means for photoelectrically reading an image carried on a film to obtain digital input image data;
image processing means for subjecting said digital input image data to specified image processing steps to obtain processed image data;
line image acquiring means for acquiring digital line image data of a line image including at least one of a character, characters, a picture and pictures;
image combining means for combining said processed image data with said digital line image data to create output composite image data in such a way that an image region where said image carried on said film is recorded and a title region in addition to said image region are formed in a light-sensitive material and said line image is recorded in said title region; and
image recording device for scanning and exposing said light-sensitive material in accordance with said output composite image data at one step to record a composite image on said light-sensitive material.
According to the first aspect of the invention, there is also provided the image reading and reproducing apparatus which further includes:
image size determining means for determining a length in an auxiliary scanning transport direction of the light-sensitive material on which said composite image is to be recorded, based on said image region in which said image is to be recorded in accordance with said processed image data, and said title region in which said line image is to be recorded in accordance with said line image data;
light-sensitive material cutting means for previously cutting an elongated light-sensitive material to the determined length; and
transport means for transporting the cut light-sensitive material to said image recording means.
According to the first aspect of the invention, there is further provided the image reading and reproducing apparatus which further includes:
image size determining means for determining a length in an auxiliary scanning transport direction of the light-sensitive material on which said composite image is to be recorded, based on said image region in which said image is to be recorded in accordance with said processed image data, and said title region in which said line image is to be recorded in accordance with said line image data;
cut-mark forming means for previously forming a cut-mark for indicating the determined length on an elongated light-sensitive material; and
transport means for transporting said elongated light-sensitive material having the formed cut-mark to said image recording means.
It is preferred that said line image acquiring means comprises line image creating means for creating said digital line image data of said line image.
When said at least one of the character, the characters, the picture and the pictures contains at least handwritten one, said line image acquiring means preferably comprises line image reading means for reading said line image photoelectrically to obtain the digital line image data; or line image creating means for creating the digital line image data of a portion of said line image and line image reading means for reading remaining portion of said line image including said at least handwritten one photoelectrically to obtain the digital line image data.
Said title region is preferably provided on one or both sides of or around said image region, that is, at least on one side of said image region.
According to the first aspect of the invention, there is still further provided the image reading and reproducing apparatus which further includes control means for controlling said image processing means, said image reading means, said line image acquiring means, said image combining means and said image recording means, and optionally said image size determining means, together with said light-sensitive material cutting means and transport means, or said cut-mark forming means and said transport means.
According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided an image reading and reproducing method comprising the steps of:
photoelectrically reading an image carried on a film to obtain digital input image data;
subjecting said digital input image data to specified image processing steps to obtain processed image data;
acquiring digital line image data of a line image including at least one of a character, characters, a picture and pictures;
combining said processed image data with said digital line image data to create output composite image data in such a way that an image region where said image carried on said film is recorded and a title region in addition to said image region are formed in a light-sensitive material and said line image is recorded in said title region; and
scanning and exposing said light-sensitive material in accordance with said output composite image data at one step to record a composite image on said light-sensitive material.
According to the second aspect of the invention, there is also provided the image reading and reproducing method further comprising the steps of:
determining a length in auxiliary scanning transport direction of the light-sensitive material on which said composite image including said processed image data and said line image data is to be recorded, based on said image region in which said image is to be recorded in accordance with said processed image data, and said title region in which said line image is to be recorded in accordance with said line image data;
previously cutting an elongated light-sensitive material to the determined length; and
transporting the cut light-sensitive material to an image recording means;
wherein said image recording means scans and exposes said light-sensitive material in accordance with said output composite image data at one step to record said composite image on said light-sensitive material which was previously cut.
According to the second aspect of the invention, there is further provided the image reading and reproducing method further comprising the steps of:
determining a length in auxiliary scanning transport direction of the light-sensitive material on which said composite image including said processed image data and said line image data is to be recorded, based on said image region in which said image is to be recorded in accordance with said processed image data, and said title region in which said line image is to be recorded in accordance with said line image data;
previously forming a cut-mark for indicating the determined length on an elongated light-sensitive material; and
transporting said elongated light-sensitive material having the formed cut-mark to an image recording means;
wherein said image recording means scans and exposes said light-sensitive material in accordance with said output composite image data at one step to record said composite image on said elongated light-sensitive material having said formed cut-mark.
It is preferred that said digital line image data is at least one of the digital line image data created for said line image, and the digital line image data obtained by photoelectrically reading the line image including at least handwritten one as said at least one of the character, the characters, the picture and the pictures.
It is also preferred that said title region is provided at least on one side of said image region, or around said image region.